Any opinions on The Fast ForWord Program to accelerate learning/reading?

luckylucy

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« on: May 21, 2009, 05:13:57 PM »

I came across this program called The Fast ForWord Program and it appears to get excellent results in the elementary schools that use it. However I haven't really researched it but I wonder if anyone on this site is familiar with it? Here is an excerpt from the website:

Fast ForWord products use patented technologies that leverage the science and opportunity of brain plasticity. By exercising processing skills through intensive, adaptive activity, actual physical changes occur in the brain. “Gray matter” can thicken, neural connections can be forged and strengthened, and these physical changes to the brain can improve learning ability. The Fast ForWord program can trigger change in the brain and provide an optimal foundation for learning and reading success.

Developed by four internationally renowned research scientists...Starting with basic language skills and moving through increasingly challenging and sophisticated reading skills, the Fast ForWord products strictly adhere to the principles of neuroscience upon which they were developed, and all are designed to increase the brain’s processing efficiency.

This optimal learning experience means that students who use Fast ForWord products often make an average 1 - 2 years gain in reading skills in as little as 8 to 12 weeks. With the Fast ForWord program, great results are the norm, rather than the exception.


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Tornado

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Re: Any opinions on The Fast ForWord Program to accelerate learning/reading?

« Reply #1 on: May 21, 2009, 09:09:45 PM »

Here is an overview of the program for Pre-Readers:

Fast ForWord Reading Prep builds pre-reading skills, with a focus on letter recognition and naming, phonological awareness, and letter-sound associations.
Fast ForWord Reading Prep software is designed for early literacy development, helping students who are having trouble moving from the spoken word to the written word.

To build a bridge to reading, Fast ForWord Reading Prep develops critical brain processing efficiency in four key areas:

Builds memory by developing the ability to hold a spoken word in working memory while retrieving picture-concept associations.
Improves attention by developing the ability to focus on tasks and ignore distractions.
Develops processing of images and sounds quickly enough to discriminate between their differences.
Develops sequencing by using positional clues to identify missing letters.

Children use the program for 30 minutes each day, five days a week.

You can view a demo of the program here: http://www.scilearn.com/products/reading-series/fast-forword-reading-prep/index.php